Almost Do
by smeegal61
Summary: My take on what went on with Annabeth in between BOTL and TLO. Now a two-shot.
1. Chapter 1

**A one shot, set after BOTL, in Annabeth's POV. I kinda always wondered what Annabeth was feeling and doing during the year between BOTL and TLO. This is my idea. There probably should have been some fights with monsters, but they irritate me and I can't write them anyway. Umm… yeah.**

**Probably OOC and almost complete angst. First fanfic so will welcome any (friendly) advice. Don't really like the beginning, but it kinda gets better.**

**First try at a disclaimer:**

**Percy Jackson belongs to Rick Riordan**

**He's the author, not me or my local traffic warden**

**The inspiration and title come from Taylor Swift**

**I hope that now I've mentioned them, they will not be miffed**

1:00am. The flashing red numbers burn into my sleepless eyes, branding and rebranding themselves with each flash. I stretch, giving up on the pointless effort to find the oblivion of sleep. Letting my feet guide me, I pad across the soft, plush carpet and find myself in front of my window, open to the airless night. I blink and listen to the sounds of the city, something I've grown used to over the last year or so. I can't sleep, as always plagued by the dreams of a demigod, and I bet Percy's still awake too. Unlike me though, he doesn't suffer from insomnia - he was always out like a light on quests and a pain to wake up in the mornings. A teenage boy thing I have always envied. No, instead he'll be up worrying about what we're going to be faced with over the next year (or hyped up on coffee, which is Grover's fault, no matter how much he swears that he's had nothing to do with Percy's new found addiction).

He'll be tired after a long, hard week. Even by mortal standards he'll be busy. On top of the normal school work he will have to complete, Sally will probably have got Paul to tutor Percy a bit. He needs it after the amount of school he's missed over the last few years and he's refused any offer of help from me in the last year. Probably a pride thing. Certainly not anything to do with the fact that we barely speak anymore. Definitely not that he doesn't want to see me.

Even without the work, he'll have been fighting monsters off left, right and centre. I can picture him now, hair tousled and unruly as always, with a slowly healing gash across that gorgeous jaw line of his. At least that might sort out that stupid lopsided smile that irritates me so much (and somehow never fails to make my heart pound).

And I think he'll be sitting there, probably perched on the edge of that chair he loves so much, peering out over New York. Percy was always too attached to that place. The flashing lights, the constant chatter of millions - rightly named the city that never sleeps. I feel sorry sometimes, for any monster that would ever dare attack Manhattan because his wrath would be unendurable._ I_ wouldn't even risk it.

Tonight, though, I wish that he would tear his eyes away from his beloved cityscape and gaze up at the stars, up at the newest constellation and remember a time when it wasn't all so complicated, a time when Rachel was just another girl's name and there was still hope left for Luke. Because then he would be staring at the same stars as me, thinking the same thoughts as me and we would finally share some common ground. Perhaps then we wouldn't fight so much and we could - what? We could do what exactly? He'd still be his father's son and we'd still argue just as often. Stupid, irritating, kelp headed…

A gentle, cool whisper of a breeze stirs my hair, cutting off my rambling thoughts, reminding me of the lateness of the hour, My eyes suddenly drooping wearily, I stumble back to my bed , pulling the covers over my head and cocooning myself in my sheets. As the last few threads of consciousness threaten to disappear, I wonder (and secretly hope) whether Percy thinks about me as often as I think about him.

...

I bundle into bed one night, missing the days when I would be able to sneak out of the cabins, dodging the harpies, to meet up with Percy on the beach. It was our place and we would sit there, the waves lapping at our feet, sometimes in silence, sometimes unable to keep our troubles to ourselves.

But this isn't camp and he's on the other side of the country. I have to face this stupid mortal life on my own. I wish I could simply Iris Message him, tell him about how my brothers wouldn't stop screaming _all day_. Or how my step-mum won't even let me mention monsters, as if just talking about that side of my life will kill us all. Or how my bullies from last year are still in my class, but this time they're bigger. He would know what to say.

It's an impossibility though. I can't call him now, not after we left it that way. All those awkward, tension filled silences that Percy obviously doesn't understand. What's not to understand? He spent two weeks on a tropical island with a beautiful immortal temptress, while I sat at home thinking he was dead, in a complete state. When he _finally _decided to come home, he gives control of _my _quest to some mortal girl. Throughout that, he spends half the time insulting the guy I see as my older brother and the other half fighting him to the death. Not exactly the best summer.

I roll over to face the wall and grit my teeth. No matter our differences, he isn't just some random guy in my life who's disposable. He's my best friend. The guy I talk to when I need to have a good rant. The only one I trust with all my secrets, with protecting my back in a fight. The only one I work better with, than without.

I fight with my entire being to focus on something else. To distract myself, I count the number of cracks on the wall next to me, then work out the square root, cube root, the factors and the multiples of that, moving onto the working out the maximum weight that the wall could take without collapsing.

It's hours before I fall asleep.

...

"Honey! We're leaving in five minutes. Are you ready yet?" Marcia, my step-mum, calls from downstairs.

I almost growl. "Almost. Just… give me a sec, alright?"

"Fine but hurry up!"

I am tearing my room apart to find my favourite owl earrings but they refuse to be found. I search through the pages of the books under my desk, thinking that perhaps they fell into one of these. I had been hoping for a quiet night in but tonight my parents had decided we were going out for a meal as a family. Exactly what I needed - another evening of over polite conversation and snide comments when my dad's back is turned.

"Dear? What's the issue?"

"Just wait a moment, okay? Stupid bag." The last comment is muttered under my breath, although even I am unsure as to whether it was directed towards Marcia or the school bag that just caught on my foot, tripping me. I shake my favourite architecture book sharply, becoming hasty in my desperation, when a piece of paper flutters out unexpectedly from where it was tucked deep inside the tome. I hiss, sucking on a newfound paper cut and reach for the page. I stare in surprise at the torn sheet in my hand, covered by the unexpected scrawl I know so well.

_Annabeth,_

_I know we're not exactly on speaking terms right not so I thought I wouldn't be able to say goodbye. I thought I'd write one instead._

_Sorry for the way things have been between us this year - if I did something wrong (which I probably did), then times that sorry by a thousand. I hope you will forgive me for anything I did wrong, and that maybe we could be penpals?_

_I hope you have the best year. You deserve it. Maybe, if you don't like writing, you could call or IM me._

_Ever hopeful,_

_Percy_

How can anyone be angry at the boy for any length at all when he does completely adorable things like this? It almost makes me forget what I'm angry at him for, forget everything that's happened. Almost.

I am trying to decide whether to reply or not when Matthew bursts through the door. "Mum says to get a move on we'll miss our reservation." I am knelt in the middle of my trashed room, letter in hand and earrings forgotten. "Annie? Did you hear?" I nod, stuffing the letter under my mattress in the hope that I can forget it ever existed because it is just too confusing.

Matthew giggles and runs out of the room, knocking me out of my reverie. I jump up and chase after the little brat, yelling, "Don't you dare think you got away with calling me Annie!"

...

So much for forgetting about the letter. I feel like the princess in that fairytale who can't sleep because she can feel the pea through her mattress. I can almost feel it burning through the sheets every night and that notion never goes away.

It's an irritating phenomenon.

And then there's the voicemail. He left it a few days ago, a couple of weeks after I found the letter. It was kind of cute really, in an awkward, stuttery kind of way. Is it bad that I've already memorised it?

"_Hey Annabeth. It's umm… Percy. I guess you probably already got that from the voice. I rang but you're not in. Of course you're not in - you'll be at school. I forgot about time zones. Again. I just don't get time zones. Why can't everyone - sorry. I'm rambling. Umm… so yeah. Oh, I called because I said you could call me but I never gave you my number. It's 45327-27… Oh gods, I forgot. Umm, give me a second to find it, will you?" _There's a crashing sound in the background, presumably as he falls over his own feet in the hurry to find it before the recording cuts out. _"Got it! 45327-279-498. Umm… that's all. You haven't sent anything yet. Maybe my letter got lost. Or maybe you hate me. Gods that makes me sound so needy - I'm just going to shut up now. Anyway, I'm sorry. For whatever I did. And I mi-"_

The recording stops there. I wish it could have lasted a few more seconds, then I'd know whether he was about to say, "I miss you" or something stupid like "I milked a yak today".

Not that I want him to miss me. Not even a little bit.

...

_I am standing on the beach in the moonlight back at camp, the waves crashing to the sand gently in the background. The sea salt is tangible in the air, reminding me of Percy and, as if summoned by the thought, his voice breaks the silence. "Look, I'm sorry." It appears I've accidentally stumbled into the middle of an argument he's having with someone else. "Annabeth, please look at me."_

_He's talking to _me_? I stifle a squeak of surprise before setting my face and turning slowly around to face him. His face matches his voice, pained and full of remorse, green eyes glittering with the light reflected off the water. It's not fair how good he looks - flawless skin, pearly teeth, a lean swimmers body wrapped in jeans and a tee-shirt. With the angular lines of his face, he resembles a Hollister model more than boring old Annabeth Chase's best friend. Mentally snorting at my ridiculous train of thought, I raise an eyebrow to indicate that he should continue._

_He runs his hand through his hair, messy and tangled as usual. "Well at least you're acknowledging me now. I'm really sorry. I don't know what for and it would be really help if you would answer me…" He pauses hopefully. I answer with a withering glare. "…but I still am no matter what because nothing is worth you treating me like this. We've been friends for four years, Annabeth, four years. That has to count for something and I just want my best friend back." He pauses. "Look I'm trying here. Can't you meet me halfway and tell me what went wrong?" Irritation is seeping through his voice._

_I've had enough. If he thinks that he can get me back with that tone, he is sorely mistaken. I turn and walk away in the opposite direction. I make it a good hundred feet before Percy finally realises I'm leaving and runs after me. The thud, thud, thud of his bare feet compacting the sand with every step gets closer until I feel his hand anchor itself around my wrist and whip me round to face him again. His touch washes through me in a tidal wave of warmth and the irrational feeling of complete safety because of his closeness engulfs me. It irrational and, as such, I brush such inconsequentialities aside._

_Still holding my wrist, he whispers, "Time for Plan B," and abruptly gets down on his knees. I stare at him in surprise. "Okay, let's start at the beginning shall we? Well, you hated me for most of the first year I knew you, so I'll just do a blanket apology for anything I might have done then. I also apologise for teasing you about being at my window when we were thirteen and for not fighting hard enough to stop Dr Thorn from taking you. I'm sorry for not getting there faster. Sorry for making you think-"_

"_Is this Plan B? Begging at my feet?" The situation was sufficiently mortifying for him (and therefore sufficiently amusing for me) that I surprised myself by speaking to him. I watched his face as shock, then amusement, suffused his features._

"_Well, I prefer to call it 'Plan B: Percy grovels for forgiveness for every transgression he has ever committed' but you can call it what you like. Whatever floats your boat."_

"_You looked half of those words up on the internet earlier, didn't you?"_

"_It's a definite possibility." A pause. "Am I forgiven? I'm happy to keep grovelling but it wet down here and I heard you can get arthritis if you kneel in the wet for too-"_

_I chuckle. "Shut up. I forgive you." His face lights up like it's Christmas and he's a five year old boy who's just spotted all the presents._

"_Really?"_

"_Unless you want me to change my mind…"_

"_Gods no." He jumps up, giving me a glimpse of his mind blowing, full on, lopsided grin before pulling me to him and wrapping his arms around me. I tentatively put my own around his shoulders (which are so broad now I can barely do this) and his tighten about my waist. I rest my head against his shirt and breathe in his natural salty scent, before trying to pull away. We don't want this hug getting awkwardly long._

_Apparently, Percy has other ideas. Instead, he pulls me closer, his arms like iron rods against my back and nuzzles head into my neck, making a protesting sound in the back of his throat that ends up something like a growl. My face ends up embedded in his unbelievably toned torso._

_I cough. "Can't… breathe." Percy gives a low, throaty chuckle and releases me slightly so there are a few inches between us. His arms remain loosely around my waist and he rests his forehead up against mine._

"_Gods Annabeth. I missed this. I missed you." His normally sea green eyes seem darker, more stormy and shadowed with emotion. "Never do this again, okay? It nearly killed me. I couldn't sleep. All I could think about was you and-" He breaks off and closes his eyes, as if unable to continue. Next time he opens them, they fix firmly on my lips. I lick them subconsciously, then kick myself because it seems like such an obviously flirty thing to do. This quickly changes to self-congratulation though after he almost whines at the action. He lifts his forehead, leans down and-_

I sit up, gasping. Glancing around, I find myself in my bedroom, no Percy in sight. I flop back onto my pillows, then swing my legs from under my covers and once again walk across to the window. Yet another dream about Percy.

Gods. I need help.

...

I leave a note at the end of the garden like I always do when I want to meet up with Thalia. I don't know how she gets them and sometimes it can take a while, but she always does.

It takes a few weeks before the note is replaced with another simply saying:

_Starbucks. Thursday. 2:30. See you then. - T_

I sigh. Another few days to wait.

...

I am sat in a booth with my black coffee (trying to stay awake after a week of late studying) when Thalia finally bursts through the door of Starbucks. She reels off an order for an iced green tea and a brownie - "but no crappy stuff. I want the real thing" - terrifying the poor girl behind the till who stutters as she prints off the receipt and calls out the order. At the other end of the counter, a guy, who is obviously waiting for his own order, smirks and sidles up to her, looking impressed.

Just as he opens his mouth, she whirls on him and spits out, "If you're even thinking of trying to flirt with me, run along back home like a good little boy because I can guarantee you won't like what happens if you do.' He closes his mouth, stares blankly at her for a minute, then slinks back to the spot he was in before.

She smirks. Not attempting to hide her impatience, she grabs her order as soon as it's called and finally notices me in the corner. "Annie!" I glower at her as she stomps over to me and dumps her stuff on the opposite side of the table. Sliding in and stuffing her face full of brownie she says, "Fh waphs huphh?"

"Ugh, nice view, thanks Thals. What was that?"

She swallows. "So what's up? I presume this isn't just a social call."

"It sort of is. I needed a girly chat."

"I never thought I'd see the day that Annabeth Chase needed to have a 'girly chat'. So, what is it?"

"Boys."

"Really. You called an eternal maiden who has completely sworn off men to talk about your latest little crush and you thought this was a good idea? It is a crush right? If some guy has hurt you I will torture them for the rest of time!"

"No, no-one's hurt me. No need to go all scary Thalia on me. Anyway, it's not a crush, it's just…" I trail off, unable to put it into words.

She groans. "Oh my gods, as if it wasn't bad enough. It's about my cousin, isn't it? Why me Zeus? _Why me?"_

"No need for the amateur dramatics but yes, it's about Percy - how'd you know? And for your information, I wasn't just going to go and tell Silena or someone. It would be around camp in a matter of minutes."

"True dat. I knew it was Percy because you got all dreamy and denied it."

"Did not!"

"I rest my case. Okay, if I'm really going to do this you're at least going to cover my costs. I refuse to pay for the privilege of being tortures. I'm no sadist." I fish a few coins out of my pockets, then slide them across the slightly sticky table to her. "Right then, spill the beans."

I do. I tell her why Percy and I split how we did at the end of the summer, about our issues. About the letter, the voicemail, the dreams. "And I could swear Aphrodite hates me. I'm positive that I saw a cloud on the way over this afternoon that actually spelt out 'CALL PERCY'. It's ridiculous. My life has become a farce. What do I do?"

Thalia's face had flickered from anger to amusement and everything in between during my retelling. She pauses, then says dryly, "How about call him?"

It's a ridiculous suggestion and I tell her so.

"Why? Because he doesn't want you to call? He's been begging you to. Because he would be angry for you for not talking to him for months? That's stupid. Even if it was anyone else, he'd presume that they had a good reason and just be happy they were around now. I should know, that's what I'd do and you're always saying how similar we are. But it's you, not just anyone else, so he's going to be over the moon that you're talking to him again. For the gods sakes, he's probably even more in love with you than you are with him, if that's possible."

My temper flares. "What the hell Thalia? We're just friends and nothing more. Why does everyone presume otherwise? How would you like it if people said we were lesbians and in love with each other?"

"Aww I'm flattered Annie but-" She tries to interrupt but I don't let her. At this point, most of Starbucks are staring at us.

"But we're just friends." I finish her sentence. "Exactly. Me and Percy are _just friends._ We don't have feelings for each other and he's certainly not in love with me!" I sound almost hysterical at this point, even to myself, and attempt to calm down. "Look, I'm sorry Thals, but I came to you so I could avoid this sort of rubbish. I didn't mean to take it on you. I'll see you later, alright?" Without waiting for an answer, I walk out, leaving a stunned shop and an oddly smug Thalia in my wake.

...

It's been weeks since that say with Thalia, and I can't say she helped much. Her words have been echoing around in my head - "How about call him?", "He's going to be over the moon that you're talking to him again" and, most importantly, "He's probably even more in love with you than you are with him." What a stupid comment to make. She couldn't be more wrong.

So why can't I get it out of my head?

Such thoughts have taken up permanent residence in my brain, scrambling any chance of logical thinking that might actually help me solve this issue. In order to rid myself of these ideas once and for all, I find myself following Thalia's advice.

I had to call Percy Jackson.

Of course, this isn't that much of a big deal. When we were younger, we used to IM for hours and talk about anything and everything. Nothing has changed; we were still friends (more or less), so this shouldn't be awkward. Not. At. All.

...

I wait until my family leave to go out for the evening (who knows where, they never invited me) and then rush upstairs. I grab a handful of drachmas before darting to my parents' en-suite, once again thankful that Dad and Marcia had gone for a shower with a mist function.

A deep breath gives me a chance to unjumble my thoughts and quell the unexpected butterflies in my stomach. Before I can stop myself, I switch the shower on and throw in a drachma, saying "O Iris, goddess of the rainbow, accept my offering. Percy Jackson, Upper East Side, Manhattan."

The mist remains just that for a few seconds. Confused, I prepare to try again, when suddenly a voice speaks. "Recipient not found. Searching other locations. Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon located - is this who you wished to call?" Startled, I nod. "Dialling Percy Jackson at Dare Enterprises."

Dare Enterprises?

That could only mean one thing.

A picture finally comes into focus. It's of a large apartment, all open plan. Half of one wall is entirely windows, exposing the iconic New York skyline, while the others are mostly bare apart from three doors and a few pieces of modern art. A small kitchenette is in one corner, a sprawling couch and cinematic TV in the other. In between is a dining area, where my attention now focuses.

A boy and a girl sit at the table with their backs turned to me. Percy looks the same from what I can see, with tousled hair and clothes that look like he threw them on in the dark that morning. If anything, he looks a little more toned than he did last summer. The fiery red hair of the girl next to him is instantly recognisable.

Audio is finally added to the IM. "If two x plus five y squared equals seventeen and fifteen x minus y equals nine, what is x and y?" Percy's voice sounds confused. They're obviously going through his algebra homework together, something he never did understand even though _I _was the one who always helped him. Who does she think she is? "Ugh, I don't get it. Who cares anyway?" He buries his head in his arms, hiding his face and his embarrassment.

The she devil finally speaks up. "You're fine, you just need practice. Okay, you suck now, but you'll get better. How could you not under my expert tutelage?" She ruffles his hair and he looks up at her. Their faces are entirely to close to each another. Her hand lands on his arm and she leans towards him. "I will take it personally if you fail this next exam." The last words are almost whispered. I almost gag at her outrageous flirting, the way she stares into his eyes a moment too long. It's sickening.

Picking her hand up, she traces his jaw lightly. "Now, what I believe you need as some brain food are cookies, of the blue variety. Am I right?" Percy nods eagerly, almost puppy like in his desperation for the blue food. She taps him on the nose, then stands.

And sees me.

"Umm… hi." She seems a little surprised to see me but she's composed enough to say something, unlike me. I take a step back, standing on a bar of soap which sends me clattering to the floor.

"Huh?" Percy whirls at the strange sound. "Annabeth? Annabeth!" My eyes begin to fill with tears, partly because my ankle hurts like Tartarus, but mostly at the sight of them standing side by side, looking like the perfect couple. "Are you okay? I'm so glad you called, I've been so worried. I thought-"

I finally locate the soap I tripped over, then hurl it with all my might at the Iris Message, destroying the connection. He's cut off mid sentence.

I can't believe it. He's replaced me, and with Rachel 'She's a… friend' Dare, of all people. How could he! I finally decide to forgive him and talk, at his insistence no less, and he does this! I refuse to cry over a boy. Annabeth Chase does _not _cry!

Regardless, I curl up in the corner and weep.

**There we have it. Well done if you actually made it through, it wasn't exactly the best piece of writing in the world. I wasn't sure on the ending but I was trying to keep it in canon and that meant I couldn't really get them together **** Anyways… please review. I'll love you forever!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Over 300 hits *insert squeeeeeee here*! Thank you so much! You guys are amazing. A huge thank you to all those who reviewed: MidnightBoredom, OptemisticBrat, kit catt luvs Percy j, HappyOwl, aj, guest and Hunter of Artemis101. All of your reviews made me do an actual happy dance and I couldn't stop smiling for 2 days!**

**Anyways, all of you who reviewed asked for me to make this a two shot, so ta-da! I had no idea how I was going to do this so if it sucks, don't blame me (although I don't know who you would blame). Literally the only idea I had was I wanted Percy to talk to Annabeth in the rain. Don't ask why, it just wouldn't leave my head. Sooooo, happy reading and please review and make me a very happy author! Oh, and I don't own PJO, Rick Riordan does (as much as I want to keep Percy locked up in my attic!)**

By the time my parents get home, I have managed to pull myself off the floor, clear up and curl up in my bed. There is no evidence that I had any sort of emotional breakdown earlier this evening. I wait for them to creep upstairs in what they think is a quiet fashion and get ready for bed until I allow myself to actually think about what happened, rather than just react. My plan is interrupted for a moment when Marcia decides to check in on me for the first time in my life.

"Annabeth?" Her voice is soft, in an effort not to wake me, as I pretend to be asleep to avoid the questions that are always obviously just an attempt at civility. At the sight of my apparently unconscious form, she sighs and takes the hint, leaving me in peace. I wait for the hall light to flick off, a tell tale sign that my parents have gone to bed for real this time, before standing and going to the window. Opening it, I sit precariously on the window sill and listen to the sounds of the night. After the time I spent on the run with Luke and Thalia, I never have been able to get to sleep, nightmare filled or not, without the noises and the natural light breeze of the night. At camp it isn't so bad, as sharing a cabin with 20 of my siblings shuffling and snoring provides plenty of background noise and I can keep a window open close to my bed. Here, though, it seems so quiet (apart from when Matthew and Bobby somehow get their hands on the cookie jar) and the stillness of the air in the house seems almost stifling.

So, many nights I find myself as I do now, perched on the window and staring down, listening to sirens, wheels squealing and the raucous laughs of those with enough freedom to be out this late at night. These sounds fade out and I let my mind wander to the events of this evening.

I suppose it's true, I overreacted. They're just hanging out - it could be the first time they've ever met up. Percy deserves some time away from the rest of us, from the entire situation, especially because… this might be the last year in which he has time to do it in. It's a disturbing thought, but true enough from the little I know of the Great Prophecy. And anyway, it wasn't as if he was flirting back.

But he didn't stop her either. Everything felt wrong with that scene, even if logically nothing was. It was the fact that he trusted her to help him with his homework when he had outright refused to even admit he found it difficult to me. It was the fact that it was obvious it wasn't the first time they had seen each other; they were too comfortable for it to be the initial meeting. It was the fact that she had touched him, looked at him, so proprietarily. It was the fact that she was spending time with him when I should have been, could have been if I hadn't been so proud. It was the fact that, if I really dug deep, I know she is perfect for him and I'm not.

Attempts at logical thought getting me nowhere, I return to my bed, hoping for mindless oblivion to take me. Perhaps my thoughts will become clearer as time passes.

…

They don't. The next few days I am distracted, unable to concentrate on school work. It exacerbates my dyslexia meaning I can't lose myself in a good book and I find myself more unsettled than ever before. Not only is this whole situation with Percy getting out of hand, but each day passing means another day closer to the Titan War and certain death for at least a few people at camp. People who have been my family for the last 6 years. Not to mention that to win we'll have to kill my older brother figure.

At school, I'm listless and pay no attention to the teacher. I can learn it all later anyway, when I'm not so distracted. Instead, I'm looking through pictures of my friends on my phone and don't notice that the bell has rung, signalling the end of the period, when suddenly Chardonnay and her little posse surround me. She picks the phone right out of my hands, her manicured nails clicking on the screen. "Lets have a look, shall we, at what is so interesting that it can distract little Annabeth's attention from the teacher? Ooooooh, and who might this be?" She shows the picture to all her 'friends' before raising a perfectly shaped eyebrow at me. "Is this your boyfriend?" She sniggers. "As if. You couldn't get someone like him even if you tried. So go on then, who is he?"

I look at the image and groan. It would happen to be Percy when they managed to take my phone. It's one I took last year when we had a movie night together. The room had been dark and I had prodded him where he was sitting, leaning against my knees sat on the floor, until he turned and looked up at me. In it he looks almost godly, the shadows giving his face more definition than usual and the light cast by the TV giving him the appearance of flawless skin. The camera was looking down at him and I hadn't given him any time to react so his face looked serious but the spark in his eyes and the slight curl of his lips gave away the fact he had been enjoying the evening. "That's Percy, my best friend. We were watching Thor at the time." I try to make my voice as even as possible.

She laughs. "Your best friend? Only you would have something as fine as that as your friend and not make a move." I blush, thinking of the kiss at Mt St Helens. Her eyes widen. "This gets better and better. You did try and make a move, and he wouldn't have you!"

"What? No! That's not true. He's only-"

"Awww, don't worry about it honey. I don't blame him. He deserves someone beautiful and funny, not dowdy and boring like you. You know, if you hadn't blushed so beautifully just then, I would have thought you had got his picture off the internet. I wouldn't put it past you - it's the only way you'll ever be able to kiss someone like him. In a picture." The entire thing was said with a sickly sweet smile on her face. Gods, I hated mortals. Sometimes I wish I could stab them, but _unfortunately _celestial bronze just passes straight through them. At least back at camp all the Aphrodite girls were scared of me. They knew I could gut them like a fish. Here, you couldn't do a thing about it. Even my death glare, which would normally warn everyone to remain at least 5 metres away from me, just provided a source of mild amusement. I couldn't help but wish that Percy would show up like I had for him 3 years ago when fighting the Laistrygonians.No such luck.

"I'll let you get back to ogling your friend. Enjoy!" She passes me my phone, pats my head patronisingly and walks off, her minions following her like bees and their queen. I sigh. By the end of today, this information will be all around the school. Not only will I be 'Nerdy lonely Annabeth' but I will be 'Nerdy lonely Annabeth who likes her best friend when he won't have her'. Perfect!

…

A few days later, Thalia picks me up to take me to camp. I've managed to avoid most meetings to do with the war in an attempt to obtain a semblance of normality for a few months, but, as the lead Athena camper, I am needed occasionally. Tomorrow there will be an emergency strategy meeting; we need to discuss exactly what we will do during the upcoming war and how we can prepare for that now.

Normally it would take two full days of driving to get back to camp from San Francisco but Thalia's car must have been provided by Artemis because it only takes 3 hours. Still, it's a long enough drive and I make myself comfortable in the front passenger seat, then wait for Thalia to stop talking to my step mum so we can leave. Finally, she walks over and gets in the car. "Hi. What was that all about?" She doesn't reply for a moment, stuck in her own thoughts.

"What? Sorry. Nothing really. Just finding out how long we'll be away. She didn't really want to ask you. I didn't ask why." She shakes her head, her voice returning to normal. "So you got everything? Ready for our little road trip?" I nod. "Let's hit the road!"

…

I wake up to being rhythmically poked in the arm. Before they can do it again, I grab whoever-it-is's finger and bend it backwards, threatening to break it. "Whoa, Annie, no need to get violent. We're almost there and I thought you might not want to arrive at camp looking like a zombie." It's Thalia. I must have nodded off during the drive.

Opening my eyes, I glare at her. "Fine. Next time try shaking me or something then I might not try and give you a broken finger."

"Just face it Annabeth, you're always grumpy when you just woke up." I look in the mirror and find I look as if I was dragged through a hedge backwards. She gives me a few minutes as I retie my hair in a ponytail before speaking up, this time in a slightly gentler tone. "He's going to be there you know. You should talk to him. I know you didn't call him, you never take my advice but-"

"I called him."

"Huh? You what? Who are you and what've you done with Annabeth?"

"I called him. I sent him an IM. He was with Rachel and they were doing homework together. Flirting. Acting like best friends."

"What did you do?"

"I hung up on him." I don't try to explain to Thalia. I don't need to; she understands. She knows that I felt like I was losing him before, that I'm scared of losing him after thinking he was dead for two weeks and now I feel like I'm being replaced.

"Oh." She seems a little unsure of what to say. "What are you going to do now?"

"Avoid him. Seems like the best plan for the moment. Why? Got any better ideas?"

"Not really." She rummaged around in her bag. "There you are. In an attempt to modernise the Hunters, Artemis got these business cards made. Take one." She pushes it into my lap when I make no move to take it from her. "Look, it's only an option. I know you didn't want to join up before, but that doesn't have to stop you now. Now, move! Get out of here! Go to your cabin and sort out your stuff! Don't mope. I'll be back first thing in the morning on Sunday so you don't miss a day of your precious school. Scoot!" With that, she pushes me out the car, dumps my stuff and drives off, leaving behind the chaos that follows her around like a puppy.

…

Me, Malcolm, Silena, Beckendorf, the Stolls, Katie Gardener, Clarisse and Will Solace sit around the ping pong table with Chiron the next morning waiting for our final member to appear. As he is presumed to be the one in the Great Prophecy, Percy has been to every single meeting, small or not, as knowing all the details could quite possibly save his life. His importance, however, does not improve his punctuality.

He stumbles in, hand running through his hair and a haggard expression on his face. "Sorry I'm late guys. Got a little bit held up on the way over." He makes his way over to an empty chair and drops into it.

"Why? Too busy with your little mortal girlfriend?" The phrase is sneered and I regret it as soon as it leaves my mouth. If those present had been surprised by the fact that Percy didn't take his usual seat next to me, they were outright shocked that I said that. They all just stare, including Percy, who desperately tries to come up with something to say. Just as he opens his mouth to respond, Chiron interrupts.

"Can we deal with personal issues later? We're already running behind schedule and we need to discuss this mission to the Princess Andromeda and who's going to do it." Percy shuts his mouth, signalling his acknowledgement. "Right, so at some point we're going to figure out that the time is right to blow Luke's ship sky high. When we do…"

And so the meeting begins.

…

That afternoon, I train. I found years ago that attacking a dummy until it is only a pile of straw is not only just a chance to practice some techniques but also a great way to relieve stress. I'm stressed. In the meeting this morning, Percy and Beckendorf both volunteered for the mission to destroy the Princess Andromeda. As if I didn't have to worry about Percy enough, he is now planning to go into the main enemy stronghold, without any disguise and with high explosives. What could go wrong with that? He doesn't think about the consequences, about the people he would leave behind. I would love to yell at him, strangle him and tie him up so he can never leave (I'm not some crazy stalker I swear) but I'm supposed to be ignoring him so I can't even take my frustration out on him. Instead, I am ripping a training dummy apart.

"Whoa Annabeth. Someone is a little wound up today." I whirl around from the obliterated dummy and start to attack Percy instead. He quickly whips out Riptide to defend himself and our swords clash. "A sword Annabeth? Why not your precious dagger?" He continues to defend himself, happy just to hold me off.

"My _precious _dagger might not always be accessible. It is wise to be proficient using all weapons in battle so you can continue to defend yourself no matter what." Percy looks confused but lets it go. I try attack after whirling attack but I never get anywhere near his skin, Riptide always coming out of nowhere at the last second. Our fight starts to draw a crowd, people whispering amongst themselves, placing bets with the Hermes kids. Percy doesn't seem to notice, only looking at me.

"Why are you so angry? What did I do?" I snort, but otherwise don't respond. He can work that one out on his own, even with kelp for brains. "Come on, we're best friends. What went wrong?" I continue to fight silently, frustrating him until he suddenly goes on the offensive. With three strokes, his blade is at my throat, my sword arm twisted behind me. Which means his arm rests at my waist and his face is inches from mine. I try to look over his shoulder and avoid his gaze but all I see are the amused expressions of our fellow campers. His sword nudges my chin up so I have to look at him. His eyes sparkle and I can't breathe, my throat constricting at his close proximity. He whispers, "Why do you hate Rachel so much?"

I stare at him incredulously, unbelieving that he could be so insensitive to mention her when I thought we were having a moment. Obviously I was the only one who thought so. Narrowing my eyes, I shake myself from his now loose grip and throw the practice sword on the ground before marching away. The crowd parts as I stomp through it (everyone knows not to get in _my _way when I'm angry) and I only look back once to see him staring at the sword on the ground with a forlorn look on his face. As soon as I'm out of sight I run to Cabin 1. Over the years it's become my sanctuary. It's dark and a little creepy but I know I won't be disturbed - the only other person to ever come in here is Thalia. I shut the door and lock it, despite knowing that I won't be disturbed. Then, I curl up in an alcove where the remainders of Thalia's stuff sits and hope that sleep will help me escape from the rage and confusion filling me.

…

I wake up to a whispered conversation outside the cabin doors under the cover of darkness. In an attempt to eavesdrop I crawl over and press my ear to the wood.

"No way! I'm not letting you in there! She's upset and angry and you're the last person she's going to want to see. I'm not even going in and I have a right to as Zeus' daughter. She's my friend, she needs the time alone and I'm going to make sure she gets it."

Percy interrupts Thalia. "We have to talk. She hasn't spoken to me for 7 months until today and that was only to say '_Too busy with your little mortal girlfriend?_' Did you know she IM'd me, just to hang up? She's crazy." He sounds angry, whisper yelling at her. A short pause followed his little rant.

"Percy… when was this call?" Thalia's voice shows she's worried.

"Two weeks ago. What has that gone to do with anything?"

Harshly, she replies, "You're definitely never going in there now."

"What? Why?"

"You made her cry." Huh? How did Thalia know that? I know we sometimes pretend she's psychic, but literally no-one saw me so…

"Har har Thalia, very funny. Annabeth Chase doesn't cry." Percy doesn't believe her! I'm not sure whether to be triumphant or furious.

"She doesn't normally. You still made her cry. When I picked her up, Marcia took me to one side."

"Marcia?"

"Her step mum. Anyway, she said that they came home two weeks ago to find Annabeth in bed like normal. When she checked in on her, her face had fresh tear tracks all down it." So that's what they had been talking about! I had thought I had removed all evidence but I obviously forgot that those marks would stay for a while on my face. Just shows why we should control our feelings; they ruin all logical plans. "At the time she was asleep, so Marcia didn't ask what happened. She told me so I could keep an eye on her while we were out here. I thought it was probably just Chardonnay and her posse again-"

"Chardonnay?"

"The girls who pick on Annabeth? You can't tell me you didn't know about them."

Percy's voice is small. "She gets bullied? How could… How could anyone bully Annabeth? She's smart and kind and beautiful. Not to mention terrifying with a knife in her hand."

"She can't stab mortals, remember Kelp Head?" She snaps out of being sarcastic for a moment, concern seeping through her tone. "They've been in the same classes as her for years."

"I can't believe she didn't tell me."

"You know Annabeth. Doesn't like to appear weak, even in front of us. Yeah, I thought it was them. But it was at the same time as that IM she sent you. I don't know what you did, but yes, you made her cry."

I hear him slump against the door. "I made her cry. I'm supposed to be her best friend and I made her cry. I'm meant to be the one she comes to when she cries, not the one who makes her cry." He pauses, sounding close to crying himself. "What do I do now?"

"Leave her alone. Not forever, just for this weekend. She needs this time to vent. After that, you have to win back her trust, do something that will really mean something to her. She doesn't hate you; she just needs to be able to depend on you, to know that you're not going to leave. She's scared of that happening with everyone that she loves and it's already happening with you. As for the 'big act' to show you're not going anywhere, you'll have to come up with that yourself. I might have known her for longer than you have but I'm only just getting to know this new Annabeth. You're her best friend; do what you think is right."

There's no response from Percy other than his retreating footsteps, presumably showing he's given in to Thalia's suggestion. I go back to my alcove and sit, contemplating what she just said. It's true; I could never hate Percy. He's an amazing guy and I really don't deserve him as a friend sometimes. I just… I feel as if he's leaving me, just like everyone else, and I have to protect myself by leaving first. If I don't, I will be hurt badly. I know from experience.

…

He leaves me alone. I don't see him once for the rest of my stay at camp, nor does he come and say goodbye when we leave. By the time we arrive in San Francisco, I'm not sure whether this is a good or bad thing. I just have to hope he is doing what Thalia said and not just giving up on me.

My family aren't overjoyed to see me again. Marcia just says, "Oh, you're back again, are you?" while the boys hardly look up from their toys and I don't see Dad emerge from his study until three days after I arrive. Way to make me feel loved. I settle back into the normal routine pretty quickly: get up, eat breakfast in silence, go to school, come home, have dinner in silence, do homework, go to bed.

On the day he finally shows up it's raining, fat droplets falling to the ground with heavy _splots._ My family are out (again) and I go for a jog, a habit I picked up since I moved here in an attempt to maintain my stamina and clear my mind. By the time I arrive home I am drenched from head to foot and completely exhausted, in no fit state to see anyone until I have showered and slept for at least 8 hours. Makes sense that Percy would turn up now.

I find him sat on my porch, head in hands, looking dejected. His hair is plastered to his forehead and his t-shirt clings to his torso with moisture. To say I am surprised to see him is an understatement but I recover quickly and clear my throat. He looks up, blinking. "What, _exactly, _are you doing sitting on my porch in the pouring rain?" My tone is slow, deliberate, in an attempt to keep it even.

"No-one was home. I didn't have anywhere else to go and, anyway, I came to talk to you." He stands up, taking a few steps towards me but doesn't come any closer, sensing I need my space.

"You came 3000 miles just to talk to me?" I am incredulous but he doesn't answer my question, instead taking a deep breath and launching into an obviously pre-prepared speech.

"You mean so much more to me than she does, you know that? You're my best friend and have been for what? Four years? We've grown up together and you've seen me at my worst and at my best and you're still around. Most of the time I'm with you I'm wondering what the hell I did so right to get you as a friend. Actually, no, I spend most of my time with you trying to work out what you're saying without all the complicated words in it, but you get what I mean. I got lucky having you as a friend. And yeah, this last year we've had issues. Like Rachel. I didn't mean for her to come on your quest, it just happened, and I'm sorry. And I'm sorry I don't get your relationship with Luke. I'll try but it's difficult - all he's ever really tried to do while I'm around is kill me. The whole 'Mt St Helens' thing - I'm sorry for that too. I didn't mean to make you think I was dead, it just kind of… happened."

"A lot of things seem to 'just happen' with you."

He snorts and takes another step forward. "You're telling me. No, seriously though, I'm sorry I haven't been around this summer. I should have been here to listen to you rant about your family. Or to go and see that film we never watched. Or to stop those girls from bullying you. By the way, when this is over, you are taking me and introducing me to this 'Chardonnay' girl and I am going to take her down. No-one messes with _my _Annabeth." I smile and he seems encouraged. "I'm sorry our… issues have stopped us from hanging out together, but Rachel has nothing to do with it. I just needed someone to talk to occasionally who wasn't part of this whole 'you will make a decision that will save Olympus' stuff, you know? I know you have some issues with her - I'm guessing that's why you hung up on that IM - and I'm not going to pretend I understand why you don't like her. However, I can say that she's never going to replace you. My fatal flaw is being too loyal to the ones I love. Do you really think I'd let you go that easily? No-one can replace you. You said you wanted to build something permanent in your life. Well, I'm permanent. You couldn't make me leave even if you wanted to. If you left, there would be Annabeth shaped hole in my life and no matter how many Rachels I found, they would never fill that up. After everything we've done, everything we have, that part of me will never change."

I'm pretty sure he carries on talking, but I kind of zone out at this point and think about what I would lose if I really did cut Percy out of my life. I think about how I felt when he ran into me as he left Goode, just before I knew Rachel existed. How he travelled across the country just to save me from a Titan. How he drove 3000 miles just to apologise to me. How, at Mt St Helens, he was prepared to give up his life so that I could live. How I felt when I thought he was dead and then when I saw him on the top of the amphitheatre.

How he looked after I had kissed him.

I shake myself from my thoughts and find Percy standing right in front of me, gently wiping away a drip as it runs down my face. His eyes flicker to mine as his hand drops to his side and I see expectation (and longing?) in them. Supposing he has come to the end of his long spiel and is waiting for an answer, I smile. "Well Seaweed Brain, how about some hot chocolate?"

And he smiles back.

**I hope this is what you were waiting for and it was alright. I had 1000 words of an entirely different ending scene written out and then I decided it wasn't what I wanted and had to rewrite it all grrr. Anyways… thanks for reading and any comments are welcome xx**


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